Kogi State Governor, Alhaji
Yahaya Bello has condemned in strong terms the burning of the constituency
projects of Senator Dino Melaye in Lokoja the state capital by some arsonists.
The Director General, Media and
Publicity to the state governor, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, who spoke on behalf of
Governor during an assessment tour of the burnt facility also said the state
government had directed security operatives to fish out the arsonists.
The four constituency projects
burnt and vandalized are four block of classroom each at Government Girls’
secondary school, Sarkin Noma; Lokongoma Secondary School, Phase 1; and
Adankolo Secondary school; all in Lokoja.
Fanwo, who spoke at the
Government Girls’ Secondary School, Sarkin Nomo said, “Government condemns the
incident. Education is the leading thematic area of the state government and so
will not allow any elements derail it.
“Irrespective of who is doing the
project, the fund is from the government. So weather it is the executive or
legislative, such projects should rather be applauded and not destroyed.
“We have directed the security
operatives to access the situation, get to the root of the matter, unraveled
the perpetrators and bring the culprits to book.
“Government will take a decisive
action to ensure that the arsonists do not go scout free.”
The state commissioner for
Education, Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya, who was amongst the government officials at
the sites said government will not fold her arms until the perpetrators are
fished out.
“Exams are ongoing and these
building are being used since January 2018. We expect that people will respect
the sanctity of education.
“This act is masterminded and not
accidental. The building were burnt including the chairs. If not for the
serving Corps members around, who tried to put out the flame it would have been
worse than this.
“We appeal to everybody to
collaborate with us in education and not use it as a meetting point for
political sabotage. This is a dastard act; the state’s interest should be
paramount rather than the individual political ego.”
The State Deputy Commissioner of
Police in charge of operations, Mr. Monday Kuryas who was also on hand narrated
that the hoodlums forced their way into the buildings.
He said the act was premeditated
as the arsonists burnt down the building and damaged some other structures.
He said the police were already
investigating the matter and will soon apprehend the arsonists.
The projects damaged were due for
commissioning by the Senator as part of his legacy projects at the senate.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Chapter
of the Peoples Democratic Party has also condemned in strong terms the
incident.
Achadu Dickson, Director Research
and Documentation, PDP, said the midnight action by alleged political thugs had
once again shown that Kogi State retrogressed to those dark days, when thugs
were kings.
The PDP described the burning and
vandalization of the schools as not a loss to Senator Melaye, but a loss to the
State, Kogi State Children, and the community.
The PDP called on security
agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous and dastardly act,
pointing out that there had been an earlier threat when some youths at a social
gathering on Tuesday allegedly threatened to cause mayhem and stop the senator
from inaugurating his constituency projects.
The PDP added that just recently
at the weekend during the Ekiti State Election, thugs from the state allegedly
transported from the state were arrested and were now in detention, thus
bringing to the fore the strong involvement of some powerful persons in
position of authority, sponsoring and abetting the thugs to operate freely in
the state.
“Kogi State PDP therefore
sympathizes with students of the various schools destroyed by the hoodlums,
their parents and the community for losing what even though was the
responsibilities of the State government but was however facilitated by a
Senator as his constituency projects” the statement added.
The PDP also warned youths not to
allow themselves to be used as political thugs, pointing out that the schools
were legacies and institutions built to educate and reform the youths who were
leaders of tomorrow.
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